To plot definitions, rename the DEFPOINTS layer. AutoCAD creates a new DEFPOINTS layer for any subsequent dimensions in your drawing.

Note The center point of dimension text is a definition point, so you can move the dimension text anywhere as long as you select this point.

TRIMMING AND EXTENDING DIMENSIONS

You can trim and extend all forms of linear and ordinate dimensions. To trim or extend a linear dimension, AutoCAD draws an imaginary line between the two extension lines definition pts. AutoCAD trims or extends the imaginary line and then adjust the dimension accordingly.

TO TRIM OR EXTEND!

Enter Ex or Extend
Select the object of new dimension
Press enter
Select the object to extend
Press enter to exit.

MAKING DIMENSIONS OBLIQUE

AutoCAD creates extension lines I to the dimension line. However, if the extension lines conflict with other objects in a drawing, you can change their angle. When you make an existing dimension oblique, new dimensions are not affected.

Shortout = (1) DED

(2) DIMED

USE DIM SAVE to save the current dimensioning settings as a named dimension style.

DIMEXE = controls the dist. The extension lines extend beyond the dimension line.

DIMEXO controls the distance the ex tension line is offset from the origin pts.

DIMSE 1 = suppresses the first extension line

DIMSE 2 = suppresses the second extension line.

CREATING ARROW HEADS

You can definitely do it. Just do it this way;

1. Create an arrow and make it a block.

2. In your Dimension styles dialog box, press geometry.

3. Under Arrowheads, click 1st and choose user Arrow.

4. Do the same in the 2nd box.

5. Choose ok.

6. Click save and

7. Click ok again.

SETTING TEXT LOCATION

Min. Width = 2 x (feat ring scale) x (text gap + Arrow size)

+ Effective text width.

Ordinate dimensions consist of an x or y coordinate value with a leader line. X-datum ordinate dimensions measures the distance of a feature from the datum along the x-axis. Y-datum ordinate dimensions measure the same distance along the Y-axis.

If you specify a point, AutoCAD automatically determines whether it is an x- or y- datum ordinate dimension.

Ordinate Dimensioning = DOR or DIMORD

LEADERS AND ANNOTATION

* Leader colour is controlled by the current dimension line colour.

* It scale is controlled by the overall dimension scale set in the current dimension style.

TO CREATE A DEFAULT LEADER WITH A LINE OF TEXT

1. Enter Dim

2. Enter Le

3. Specify start point

4. Specify end point

5. Enter text value.

SHORTCUTS

* DIMBLK = controls the leader arrowhead

*DIMCLRT = Controls single-line text colour

* DIMCLRD = Controls leader colour

*DIMGAP = Controls the offset of text and blocks from the end point of the leader or block hook line. To create a box around the text, set DIMGAP to a negative value.

The offset between the box and the text is the absolute value of DIMGAP.

* DIMSCALE: Controls leader scale

* DIMTXT: Controls single-line text height.

EDITING LEADER

You can edit leaders and their associated annotation with grips. Leaders can function as edges for trimming and extending, they cannot be trimmed or extend themselves. To resize a leader you can stretch or scale it.

ASSOCIATIVE DIMENSION

Arc dimensions in which all the limes, arrowheads, arcs, and text are draw as a single dimension object.

DIMASO Controls Associate Dimension.

1 = Puts it on better for editing

2 = Off it.

EDITING DIMENSION

You can edit dimensions with the AutoCAD editing commands and grip editing modes. Grip editing is the quickest and easiest way of modifying dimensions. When you edit dimensioned objects with the editing commands, you must include the relevant dimension definition points in the selection set to upgrade the dimension. Definition points are points that determine the dimension locations.

Definition points are drawn on a special layer named DEFPOINTS that does plot updating, you have to update only the link to update all linked copies of the view.

To copy a view to the clipboard, Enter COPYLINK in the command line.

To paste objects from the clipboard, enter PASTECLIP/ press CTRL + V

TO CONVERT PASTED INFORMATION TO AUTOCAD FORMAT.

1. Copy the OLE metafile to the clipboard.

2. From the Edit menu, choose paste special

3. In the paste special dialog box, select paste.

4. Select picture in the list of formats.

5. Choose ok.

Command line = PASTE SPEC.

TO BE ABLE TO EDIT BITMAP PICTURES IN AUTOCAD

Open the source program or application, select the object and copy.
Open your AutoCAD dwg and paste special
In the paste special dialog box, select paste.
Select AutoCAD Entry/Image Entry to be able to edit it.

TO CHANGE THE SNAPANG SYSTEM VARIABLE

1. Enter SN

2. Enter R or Rotate

3. Accept the base point of 0,0,0

4. Enter the desired angle.

Remember you can objects of different sizes to obtain a scaled entity.

* Just enter AL and follow the computer/AutoCAD Instructions.

ERASING OBJECTS

1. Enter E

2. Select the objects to erase and press Enter.

Related: The OOPS command restores all object erased by the most recent use of ERASE. Enter erased L (last) at the select objects prompt to erase the last object drawn.

RESIZING OBJECTS

You can resize objects by stretching, scaling, extending, lengthening, and trimming them.

You can lengthen a line by the following methods,

DELTA OR (DE)
PERCENT OR (P)
TOTAL OR (T)
4.DYNAMIC OR (DY)

POLYLINE

SPLINETYPE

SPLFRAME are system variables, which control spline-fit polylines.

SPLINESEGS

When on (1) brings out the polylines from which the curves were estimated.

TO CHAMFER WITHOUT TRIMMING

1. Enter CHA

2. Enter T (Trim)

3. Enter N (No Trim)

4. Chamfer the objects.

Related: Set Trimming to 1 = to trim the objects after chamfering

To 0 = leave the object untrimmed.

*A new setting takes effect with the next chamfer.

TO CHAMFER AN ENTIRE POLYLINE.

1.Enter CHA
2.Enter P (polyline)
Select the polyline.

TO FILLET WITHOUT TRIMMING - Use the same method above.

We can also fillet an entire polyline.

You can edit hatches with grips just as you can do to any other object.

USING LAYERS, COLOURS AND LINE TYPES

Layers are the transparent overlays on which you organize and group different kinds of drag information. The objects you create have properties including layers, colours, and line types. Colour helps you to distinguish similar element in your drugs, and line types help you differentiate easily between different drafting elements, such as centerlines or hidden line. Organizing layers and objects on layers makes it easier to manager the information in your drug.

TO MAKE A LAYER CURRENT (KEYBOARD APP)

1. Enter Layer

2. Enter the name of layer you want to make current.

MAKING AN OBJECT’S LAYER CURRENT.

1. Select an object in that layer then,

2. Choose make objects layer current on the object properties toolbar.

LOCKING AND UNLOCKING LAYERS

Locking layers is useful when you want to edit objects that are associated with particular layer but also want to view objects on other layers. You cannot edit the objects on a locked layer; however they are still visible. If the layer is on and should. You can make a lock layer current and can add objects to it.

You can freeze and turn off locked layers and change their associated colours and line type.

RETAINING TRIANGULA TO X-REF DEPENDENT LAYERS

If you want to view an externally referent drug with specific modifications, you can choose to retain the properties assigned to your external referent layers as currently edited.

JUST DO THE FOLLOWING;

Enter LA.
In the layer & line type properties dialog box, choose Details.
3.Select Return changes to Xref defendant Layers
Choose OK

Related= Setting the VISRETAIN system variable to 1,saves changes to Xref-dependent Layers.

A Line type is a repeating pattern of dashes, dots, and blank spaces. A complex line type is a repeating pattern of symbols.

DISPLAYING POLYLINE LINETYPES

You can specify whether a line type pattern is centered on each segment or is continuous throughout the entire length of 2D polyline. You do this by setting the PLINEGEN system variable. Compare the following illustrations.

PLINEGEN=O PLINEGEN=1

PROCEDURE

1. Enter PLINEGEN

2.Enter 1 to make the line type continuous throughout the 2D polyline. Enter o to center the line type on each segment.

TO REMOVE UNREFERENCED TEXT STYLES

From the File menu, choose Drawing Utilities Text styles.
AutoCAD displays prompts for each text styles available for removal.

Enter Y to delete the style or N to keep it.

ALTERNATIVELY

Enter PU(PURGE)
Enter ST (STYLES)
Enter the name of the Text style you want to delete.
Enter Y to delete the style

CREATING LINE TEXT

TEXT: creates a single line of that while DTEXT create one or one lines of text, ending each line when you press ENTER. Each text line is an object that you can relocate, reformat, or other wise modify.

TEXT: create text on the command line but does not display it in the graphic area until you complete the entry. You must enter the command again before you start a second line.

The advantage of Multiline Text over line Text is that the previous has more editing options than line text; For example, you can apply underlining, fonts, colour, and text heights changes to individual Xters, words, or phases within a paragraph.

NTEXT = T

SPECIFYING AN ALTERNATIVE DEFAULT FONT

If your dwg, specifies a font that is not urgently on your system, Automatically substitutes the font designated as your alternate font. By default, AutoCAD uses the simplex. SLX file. However, you can specify a different font if necessary. You enter the alternative font file name by changing the FONTALT system variable.

TO CHECK SPELLING

Enter SP
Select the text objects you want to check or enter all to select all text objects.
Change or ignore as the case may be.
Choose cancel to exit the dialog box.

DIMENSIONING & TOLERANCING

DIMF IT = Controls how text and arrowhead fit between extension lines.

DIM TSZ = Specifies the size of oblique strokes drawn instead of arrowheads.

DIMTVP = controls the vertical position of dim text when DIMTAD is off

USING BLOCKS ATTRIBUTES & XREFS

While INSERT: inserts a block on the command line,

MININSERT insects a block in a rectangular array.

An attribute provides an interactive label or tag for you to attach text to a block. Whenever you insert a block that has a variable attribute, AutoCAD prompts you to enter the data to be stores with the block. Examples of attribute a are part numbers, prices, comments, and owners’ name.

You can extract attribute information from a drag and use that information in a spreadsheet or database to produce items such as a parts list or bill of materials (BOM).

Information on the attribute is stored in the drag file and written to an extract file by DDATTEXT and ATTEXT.

DEMAND LOADING & MAXIMIZING XREF PERFORMANCE

Through a combination of demand loading and saving drags with infixes, you can increase the performance of dwgs with external references. Demand Loading works in conjunction with the XLOADCTL and INDEXCTL system variables. When you turn on demand loading, if indexes have been saved in the referenced drags, AutoCAD loads into memory only the data from the reference dwgs. That is necessary to regenerate the current dwgs. In other words, referenced material is use read in “ on demand.

To realize the maximum benefits of demand loading, you need to save the referenced dwgs. With layer and spatial indexes.

TO TURN ON LAYERS AND SPATIAL INDEXES

From the file menu, choose save As
In the save As dialog box, choose Options.
In the import / Export Option dialog box, at Index type, select Layer, Spatial or Layer & Spatial, and then choose OK.
Choose OK to exit the save As dialog box.

INDEXCTL

The INDEXCTL system variable determined whether Layer, Spatial, or Layer & Spatial indexes are creates when a dwg file is saved. Using Layer and Spatial indexes increases performance when AutoCAD IS DEMAND loading Xrefs, but it may also slightly slow down saving, as well as increase dwgs size. By default, INDEXCTL is set to O, no indexes. The INDEXCTL setting is stored in the dwg.

When INDEXCTL = 1, A layer index is created.

A Layer index is a list showing which objects are on which Layers.

If INDEXCTL is set to 2, a spatial index is created.

The spatial index organizes objects based on their location in 3D space.

If INDEXCTL is set to 3, both Layer and spatial indexes are created and saved with the dwgs. If the dwgs you are working on is not going to be referenced by another dwg, it is recommended you set INDEXCTL to 0 (off). Spatial and layer indexes are best used in dwgs that will be used as x-refs in other dwgs where demand loading is enabled.

LAYOUT & PLOTTING

To create floating viewports

Enter MVIEW (MV)
Enter the no of view port you want to use.
At each prompt, specify the corners of a rectangular area that ill contain the view port. The view fill the specified area.

OTHER VIEWPORT CONFIGURATIONS

When you use MVSETUP to create floating viewports, AutoCAD gives you several additional configuration options.

TO CREATE OTHER FLOATING VIEWPORT CONFIGURATIONS

Enter MVSETUP at the command prompt
Enter C (create). Then press Enter to continue, a list of viewport options is displayed
Enter the no corresponding to the viewport option you want to use.
Specify the corners of the area that will contain the viewports.
If you are creating arrayed view ports, specify the no of columns (x), rows (y).
If you are creating engineering or arrayed view ports, specify the distance between the columns (x) and the rows (y).

REARRANGING AND REMOVING FLOATING VIEW PORTS

After you insert floating view ports, you can rearrange them according to your needs. You can snap to, copy, scale, stretch, erase, and move view ports using standard commands and most Grid modes. To use these commands, you must be in paper space, and the view port borders must be visible.

CONTROLLING VISIBILITY IN FLOATING VIEW PORTS.

You can control the visibility of objects in a floating view port using several methods. You can;

1. Freeze or than layers in individual view ports

2. Turn view ports on and off.

3. Limit the number of view ports that can be active.

FREEZEING OR THAWING LAYERS IN EXISTING VIEW PORTS

You can freeze or thaw layers in current and future floating view ports without affecting other view ports. Frozen layers are invisible. They are not regenerated or plotted. This feature is useful, for example, if you want ton create an annotation layer that is visible only in a particular view ports. Thawing restores the layer visibility. You can freeze thaw layers in the current view port with the VPLAYER command.,

* Also, changing the default for new layers does not affect existing layers.

TURNING FLOATING VIEW PORTS ON OR OFF

Displaying a large number of active floating view ports can affect your system's performance as a content of each view ports regenerated. You can save time by turning some viewports off or by limiting the number of active view ports.

Use the MAXACTVP system variable to control how many view ports you can have at a time.

TO TURN VIEW PORTS ON OR OFF.

1. Enter MV (MVIEW)

2. Enter OFF/ON

3. Select the view port you want to turn off/on

4. Press the enter key.

TO SCALE MODEL SPACE BY ZOOMING RELATIVE TO PAPER SPACE.

1. Enter Z (zoom)

2. Enter S

3. Enter the scale factor following by XP for A 1:4 ratio. For example, you would enter 0.25 xp or ¹/₄ x p.

TO VIEW A SLIDE

Enter VSLIDE
In the select slide file dialog box, select a slide to view and choose ok. The slide image appears in the graphic area.
Enter Redraw (R); The slide image disappears from the graphic area.

USING COMMAND SCRIPTS

The command script facility is useful for executing a sequence of commands that you can from within AutoCAD using the SCRIPT command. The script facility provides an easy - to - use method to create continuously running displays for product demonstrations and trade shows. Scripts can execute any command at the command prompt except those commands that call dialog boxes.

SCRIPT ACCESS TO DIALOG BOX COMMANDS

Dialog box command Associated script command

1. DDATTDEF ATTDEF

DDATTE ATTEDIT

DDATTEXT ATTEXT

DDRMODES BLIPMODE

FILL

GRID

ISOPLANE

SNAP

DDUNITS UNITS

DDLMODES LAYER

DDRENAME RENAME

DDINSERT INSERT

BMAKE BLOCK

The following commands are useful in script.

Script command Description

'TEXTS Switches to the text window

'RESUME Resume an interrupted command script

'RESCRIPT Restart a command script from the beginning

'DELAY Delays extension of the next commands for a specified amount of line (in methisounds))

'GRAPHSCR Switch to the graphic area.

You create script files outside AutoCAD, using a text editor (such as Window's Notepad) or a word processor, which saves the file in ASCII format.

The file extension must be "SCR".

Script files can contain commands. Any line that begin with a simulation (;) is considered a comment, and AutoCAD ignores it while processing the script file. The script that is running stops when another SCRIT command is invited.

TO RUN A SCRIPT

1. Enter SCRIPT

2.In the select script file dialog box, select file

3. Choose open

RUNNING SLIDE SHOWS

1. Scripts are useful for creating slide shows.

USING SLIDES AND SCRIPTS

In addition to using the command line and menu interfaces, you can use AutoCAD to write scripts that automatically execute a series of commands. One way to use scripts is to create slide shows from a combination of slides you create from AutoCAD dwgs.

WORKING WITH SLIDES

A slide is a “snapshot” of an AutoCAD dwg. Although it contains a picture of the drug at a given instant. It is not a dug, file. It can neither be edited, imported nor printed. You can use slide in the following ways:

1. For presentations

2. For referencing white working on a different dwg.

3. For exchanging images with other graphics

You can display slides one by one or in sequence (with a script).

CREATING SLIDE

You can create a slide by saving the current view in slide format. In model pace, the slide shows only the current view port. In paper space, the slide shows all visible view ports and their contents. Slides show only what visible. They do no show objects in layers that have been turned off.

To edit slide, you must change the original drug and rename the slide

TO MAKE A SLIDE

1. In the graphic area, display the view you want to use for the slide.

2. Enter for SLIDE

3. In the create file dialog box, enter name for the slide. AutoCAD offers the current name for the slide. It automatically appends the slide extension

4. Choose ok.

The current drug remains on the screen, and the slide file is saved to the directory that you specify.

VIEWING SLIDES

You can view individual (one at a time) using the VSLIDE command. To view a series of slide for a presentation, use a SCRIPT FILE.

Caution!!!

Be careful about using editing commands as you view a slide, which looks like an ordinary drug. Editing commands affect the current drug underneath the slide but not the slide itself. Some commands do not affect slides: They are; Layer/colour relationships, Zooming, Time, Status, etc.

Below is an example

VSLIDE SLIDE 1 Begin slide show, load SLIDE 1

VSLIDE *SLIDE 2 Preload SLIDE 2

DELAY 2000 Let audience view SLD 1

VSLIDE Displace slide 2

VSLIDE SLIDE 3 Preload SLIDE 3

DELAY 2000 Let audience view slide 2

VSLIDE Display slide 3

DELAY 3000 Let audience view slide 3

RSCRIPT Cycle

TRACE COMMAND

Often, lines must be solid with a specified width in AutoCAD, such lines are called Traces. Traces are entered jut like lines, except that you use the TRACE command, and before entering the pts, you are asked how wide a Trace you want.

Command: TRACE

Trace width: enter you value.

The rest behaves like a line.

USING PLINE TO DRAW AN ARROW

Enter PL

Specify starting point

Enter W for width

Specify starting width

Specify Ending width

Specify Endpoint of line

Repeat step 3-6. (Entering the arrow space)

RECTANGLE COMMAND. (METHOD 1)

Enter REC

Specify a point for first corner

Specify the other point as shown

METHODS 2

If the sides of the Rectangle are specified, say, 20x30.

Then

Enter REC

Pick point A

Enter (a) 20,30

Press Enter.

QTEXT COMMAND

The QTEXT command governs the display and plotting of text and attribute entities.

If QTEXT is on: AutoCAD draws each text and attribute item as a simple rectangle to give a rough estimate of the text length. The height of the rectangle reflects the text height. Text subsequently within is displayed on quick text format the next time that drawing is regenerated.

FILTER COMMAND

You can limit selection sets by property, such as colour, or by object type using filter lists.

TO CREATE A FILTERED LIST BASED ON OBJECT TYPE

Start the move command by entering M.
Start the FILTER command transparently by entering F1.
Under select filter, select L
Select Add to list.
Choose Apply. AutoCAD applies the filter list to whatever you now select.

With the MOVE command still active, you can select objects with a window, and AutoCAD applies the filter list to all objects in the window.

TO SELECT OBJECTS USING A FILTER SET

At the select objects prompt, use a window to select objects. AutoCAD status how many objects were found and how many were filtered out.
Press enter to exit from the selection filter.
At the select objects prompt, press enter to continue the move
Specify a base point for the move
Specify a point of displacement

AutoCAD moves only the lines objects in the dwg.

TO UNDO A SPECIFIC NO OF ACTIONS

Enter UNDO at the command prompt.

Enter the no of actions to undo

TO CHAMFER AN ENTIRE POLYLINE

Enter CHA
Enter P
Select the ployline

TO FILLET WITHOUT TRIMMING

Enter F
Enter T
Enter N
Fillet the objects

REGIONS

Are two – dimensional enclosed areas you create from closed shapes, called loops

ALIGNMENT

Remember to always select the source object before click/picking the 1^st source point. Anyway, if goes this way.

Enter AL
Select the object that you want to align
Select 1^st source pt
Select 1^st destination pt
Select 2^nd source pt
Select 2^nd destination pt
Select Yes/No to scale the source to the destination.

INQUIRY COMMANDS

These commands are used to inquire about locations and relationships among entities.

LIST COMMAND - displays database information for selected objects.

DBLIST COMMAND - Lists database information for each object in the dwg.

OTHER LIST COMMANDS

Area
Distance
ID commands
Limits command.

VIEWRES COMMAND

This command controls the frequency of dwg regeneration. It turns fast zoom mode on and off.

TO TURN FAST ZOOMON ON AND OFF & SET CIRCLE RESOLUTION

Enter VIEWRES
At the prompt, enter Y to turn on fast zoom mode, or N to turn off fast zoom mode.
At the Enter circle zoom % prompt, change the default value.

* Increase the default value to display smoother arcs and circles.

* Decrease the value to reduce the screen resolution and improve performance

AERIAL VIEW

Aerial view is both navigation and a view of the dwg in a separate window, so you can quickly locate and move to that area.

Command = DSVIEWER

LINETYPE

Enter DDLTYPE or LT

Enter LTSCALE for linetype scale.

BLOCK

Is a collection of objects you can associate together to from a single object

WBLOCK = saves block as a separate dwg. file hence, can be used in other dwgs.

Do you know you can insert a block by dragging and dropping.

Do you know how to do that?

SHAPE COMMAND

Before inserting a shape, you must use LOAD to load the file containing the desired shape.